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Nebraska Gov. Jim Pillen (center) is joined by state senators at a press conference in February. The governor is helping lead a renewed effort to pressure state lawmakers to replace Nebraska's unique presidential election system with a winner-take-all model, inviting Republican Sen.
Lindsey Graham of South Carolina to speak to conservative lawmakers Wednesday. Nebraska lawmakers are facing last-minute pressure to replace the state's unique presidential electoral system with a winner-take-all model backed by former President Donald Trump ahead of November's election. Gov.
Jim Pillen invited conservative state lawmakers to lunch Wednesday at the governor's mansion, where Republican Sen. Lindsey Graham of South Carolina became the latest national political figure to push for the change, multiple lawmakers and a spokeswoman for Graham's office confirmed. His visit came months after both Pillen and Trump called in April for state lawmakers to replace the system that has allowed Democrats to pick up a single electoral vote in Nebraska twice since lawmakers implemented the system in 1992.
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Under the system, which is also used in Maine, two of Nebraska's five electoral votes are awarded to the presidential ticket that wins the most votes statewide while the other three go to the winner of each of the state’s three congressional districts. The system has made a national battleground out of Nebraska's 2nd Congressional District, which includes Omaha, the state's most populous city. Joe Biden and Barack Obama won the district in 2020 and 2008, respectively, while Trump won the district in 2016 and Mitt Romney won it in 2012.
The latest push by conservatives to replace the system with the winner-take-all model used in 48 other states began in April, when a right-wing radio show host made a social media post highlighting a potential scenario in which Nebraska's decades-old election system could cost Trump the presidency in November. In his visit this week, Graham highlighted the close nature of November's matchup between Trump and Democratic Vice President Kamala Harris, said state Sen. Loren Lippincott, a conservative from Central City who introduced a bill last year to implement the winner-take-all system in Nebraska.
"Jim Pillen, our governor, did invite Lindsey Graham to come and shed light on the gravity of the upcoming election," Lippincott said in a phone interview Thursday, calling the meeting between lawmakers, Graham and the governor a "status briefing" on the state of the race for the White House. Lippincott "He wanted to ensure that Nebraska knew that every single electoral vote was important," Lippincott said. Lippincott and Sen.
Tom Brewer of Gordon both said Thursday that Graham's visit did not appear to have increased support for winner-take-all among lawmakers, who had conceded in April that it was "procedurally impossible" to make the legislation law in the waning days of the legislative session after one procedural motion that could have cleared the way for the change was voted down . But pressure continues to mount. Hours after Graham's visit, Nebraska's congressional delegation — made up of five Republicans — penned a letter Wednesday to Pillen and Sen.
John Arch of La Vista, the speaker of the Legislature, urging them to work to implement the winner-take-all system. Led by Republican Rep. Mike Flood of Nebraska's 1st Congressional District, the delegation wrote that it "is past time that Nebraska join 48 states in embracing winner-take-all in presidential elections.
" Pillen, whose office did not respond to a request for comment Thursday, said in a statement last week that he is "willing to convene the Legislature for a special session to fix this 30-year-old problem before the 2024 election" — but only after a filibuster proof majority of lawmakers publicly endorse the change. It would take the support of 33 of the 49 lawmakers in Nebraska's formally nonpartisan, single-house Legislature for winner-take-all legislation to overcome an inevitable filibuster. Senators say votes aren't there "Right now, we're approximately two — maybe three — votes short of those 33 votes," Lippincott said.
"And our meeting on (Wednesday) did not really move the needle." Brewer, the conservative chairman of the Legislature's Government, Military and Veterans Affairs Committee — where Lippincott's bill stalled last year — offered a similar assessment Thursday in an interview at the Capitol. Brewer "I appreciate the fact that (Graham) came all the way here I think, but I don't know.
I think it's gonna be a hard push," Brewer said. "I think the governor is trying to do his best to shape the fight, but I just fear that it's too late in the game right now. I think we're gonna end up short in the end.
" Conservatives hold 33 of the 49 seats in the Legislature — a filibuster-proof majority when they vote in lockstep. But Sen. Mike McDonnell of Omaha, who switched his party registration from Democrat to Republican in April, remained opposed to the winner-take-all model even after changing parties.
McDonnell's office did not return a phone call seeking comment Thursday. Brewer said Thursday that McDonnell "is a man of his word and has always been," adding that the Omaha lawmaker is "not one of these guys that's wishy-washy." Republicans may have a short window to change his mind.
Lippincott said a change to the state's voting system would need to take place before Nebraskans begin casting votes in November's election. Early voting ballots will be mailed out starting Sept. 30.
Ballots will be sent to Nebraskans abroad as early as this week. A spokeswoman for the Secretary of State's Office, though, said only that a change to Nebraska's voting system would have to take effect before Nov. 5 — Election Day.
If Pillen called a special session to take up the legislation, it would face intense opposition from Democrats in the Legislature, who signaled plans to kill a bipartisan Christmas-tree package of legislation in April when conservatives moved to attach a winner-take-all amendment to the bill. Sen. Danielle Conrad of Lincoln, a civil rights attorney and the former head of the ACLU of Nebraska, said Thursday that the latest push for the change from out-of-state partisan actors is "insulting" — and an indication of the unpopularity of the GOP's platform.
Conrad Conrad called the push "an admission that they don’t think their candidate can earn the votes of Nebraskans under current law with their ideas and personal attributes so they have to change the rules at the last second to silence voters in Nebraska and make our system less responsive and less representative." Move could boost Democrats Though a change to the state's presidential electoral system would undoubtedly ensure that Trump, who won more than 58% of the vote statewide in 2020, would bag all five of Nebraska's electoral votes, the move may actually boost Democrats down the ballot. In a memo sent to funding allies last month, the Open Democracy PAC, backed by progressive donors, predicted the move would prompt Trump's campaign to abandon Omaha altogether — giving an immediate fundraising edge to Democrat Tony Vargas in his bid to unseat Republican Rep.
Don Bacon of Nebraska's 2nd Congressional District. Conservatives would also risk "strong electoral backlash," the PAC warned, citing polling that suggested more than half of Omaha voters surveyed indicated they would be less likely to vote for candidates they otherwise agree with if the candidates supported the change. In the memo, a copy of which was obtained by the Journal Star, the PAC also predicted that Democrats in the district would be "energized and motivated" to vote for Vargas if state lawmakers strip the district of its electoral vote before the election.
The PAC asked fundraising allies to "consider reserving resources to take advantage of this opportunity should it arise," according to the memo. Top Journal Star photos for September 2024 Lincoln Christian's Brett Maher (14) sits in the locker room with his teammates ahead of the game against Auburn on Friday, Sept. 13, 2024 at Lincoln Christian High School.
First District Republican incumbent Mike Flood (left) and Democratic challenger Carol Blood debate on Sunday, Sept. 15, 2024, at Nebraska Public Media. Lincoln Bike Kitchen Executive Director, Shari Shanks, hangs bike pedals on hooks at the new Lincoln Bike Kitchen headquarters inside the old Muny Pool building Monday, Sept.
16, 2024. The Lincoln Bike Kitchen accepts bikes in all conditions and will break unusable ones down for scrap parts. Gypsy Anton of Lincoln, 13, (from left) listen to music with her brother Silver Anton, 11, mother Jen Leonard, and sister Sophia Leonard, 12, during Porch Jam Sunday near Cooper Park.
Nebraska's Ty Robinson (right) blocks a pass by Northern Iowa quarterback Aidan Dunne (10) in the second quarter on Saturday, Sep. 14, 2024, at Memorial Stadium. Volunteers Devin Flemming (left) and John Sjuts, of Lincoln, fill bags of food to distribute on Friday, Sept.
13, 2024, at West Lincoln Elementary. The Backpack program allows students in need to take backpacks full of food home. Nebraska's Jacory Barney (17) dances in the endzone as he celebrates scoring a second quarter touchdown against Northern Iowa on Saturday, Sep.
14, 2024, at Memorial Stadium. Members of the UNL Army ROTC's Big Red Battalion climb the steps of Memorial Stadium during a silent stair climb in remembrance of those lost in the 9/11 attacks on Wednesday, Sept. 11, 2024, in Lincoln.
Starting at 6:00 a.m., various members of the branches of UNL ROTC, first responders in the surrounding Lancaster areas, and former military members began a silent stair climb workout that involves climbing 2,071 steps, or about 110 flights of stairs.
This was the number of stairs that were present at the World Trade Center, which first responders climbed in an effort to rescue people from the towers. The cadets only count the stairs going up, not down. Representing those first responders who never got a chance to descend safely.
Lincoln East's Raheem Popoola (13) leads his team out onto the field before the game against Grand Island on Thursday, Sept. 12, 2024, at Seacrest Field. Nebraska's Harper Murray (27) embraces Bergen Reilly (2) after scoring a kill against Creighton in the first set on Tuesday at the Devaney Sports Center.
Nebraska's Tommi Hill (6) celebrates a pick-six during the first quarter of the game against Colorado on Saturday, Sept. 7, 2024, at Memorial Stadium. Nebraska's Jacory Barney (17) celebrates as fans rush the field after the game on Saturday, Sept.
7, 2024, at Memorial Stadium. Terence "Bud" Crawford (center) takes the field next to Nebraska's Dylan Raiola (left) and Mikai Gbayor on Saturday at Memorial Stadium. Nebraska fans storm the field after winning the game against Colorado on Saturday, Sept.
7, 2024, at Memorial Stadium. Nebraska won 28-10. Police investigate the scene of a shooting Sunday in downtown Lincoln near 11th and P streets where one man was killed and another man was injured.
While teammate Dante Dowdell (23) celebrates a touchdown with his teammates, quarterback Dylan Raiola (15) reacts toward the home sideline in the first quarter on Saturday, Sept. 7, 2024, at Memorial Stadium. Nebraska's Dante Dowdell (23) is tackled by Colorado's Shilo Sanders (21) on Saturday at Memorial Stadium.
Wahoo players pray in the locker room ahead of their match against Ashland-Greenwood on Friday, Sept. 6, 2024, at Wahoo High School. Lincoln Southeast's Zayvion Campbell (left), Lincoln Southwest's Nathan Mensah (center) and Southeast's Mason Mehta (right) dive after the ball in the end zone during the second quarter on Friday at Seacrest Field.
The play resulted in a Lincoln Southwest touchback. Ian Plumlee, of Lincoln, dances with his daughter, Josephine, 4, as Sandy Creek Pickers performs during the Nebraska Bluegrass Concert Series on Wednesday, Sept. 4, 2024, on Nebraska Innovation Campus.
Jeff Gold speaks after being installed as the University of Nebraska's ninth president during an investiture ceremony in the Capitol Rotunda on Thursday, Sept. 5, 2024. Junior Dylan Zephier (center) dances with senior Jordyn Guse next to senior Helina Cooper (back left) and freshman Liam Hoffschneider during a Unified music class, Thursday, Sept.
5, 2024, at East High School. Nebraska's Dylan Raiola walks in the Legacy Walk on Saturday outside Memorial Stadium. A great blue heron perches on a rock in the shallow water of Holmes Lake on Tuesday.
Nebraska's Leyla Blackwell (11) throws a volleyball into the stands before the match against TCU on Saturday, Aug. 31, 2024, at the Bob Devaney Center. The Huskers run on to the field to kickoff the game against UTEP on Saturday, Aug.
31, 2024, at Memorial Stadium. Nebraska's MJ Sherman (48) sacks UTEP's Skyler Locklear (9) during the first quarter of the UTEP game on Saturday, Aug. 31, 2024, at Memorial Stadium.
Norfolk Catholic players line up on the field before during the game against Bishop Neumann on Friday, Aug. 30, 2024, at Bishop Neumann in Wahoo. Nebraska's Isaiah Neyor (18) catches a 59-yard touchdown pass while defended by UTEP's Jaylon Shelton (9) in the second quarter, on Saturday, Aug.
31, 2024, at Memorial Stadium. Nebraska's Bergen Reilly (2) watches a husker light show as a highlight reel of last year plays before the match on Friday, Aug. 30, 2024, at the Devaney Sports Center.
New University of Nebraska-Lincoln students run out onto the field during the tunnel walk tradition at Memorial Stadium on Friday. Lincoln Christian's Truman Paulsen holds the Spirit Sword after defeating Lincoln Lutheran on Friday at Aldrich Field. Framed through a children's play set, Jordyn Anderson, 3, pushes her friend Jordan Lara, 4, in a Cozy Coupe toy at the playground outside at Las Abejitas' location at First Lutheran Church on Friday.
Las Abejitas, one of only two bilingual child care centers in Lincoln, is opening a second location at First-Plymouth Church in September. Waverly celebrates after defeating Lincoln Lutheran in five sets Thursday at Lincoln Lutheran High School. Thursday afternoon's football game between Lincoln East and Elkhorn South was postponed due to weather.
The teams will make up the game Friday at Seacrest Field. Lincoln East's Deacon Gehle (from left) and Presley Hall practice passing back anf forth while waiting out a rain delay at Seacrest Field on Thursday, Aug. 29, 2024.
From left, U.S. Sens.
Deb Fischer, Pete Ricketts, 3rd District Congressman Adrian Smith, 1st District Congressman Mike Flood and 2nd District Congressman Don Bacon attended the annual summit hosted by the Nebraska, Omaha and Lincoln chambers of commerce on Thursday at Strategic Air Command & Aerospace Museum in Ashland. Runners, including Tyler Pooschke (first left) and Mak Krause (right) are led by run lead Trevor White (first right) as they take off along the Billy Wolff Trail for the first-ever run held by the Telegraph Run Club on Wednesday. The new run club is meant to be a welcoming, open and free to any who wishes to join.
Nebraska's Nash Hutmacher hands a football back to Henry Erikson of Beatrice, 8, and Brent Erikson during football fan day, Saturday, Aug. 24, 2024, at Hawks Championship Center. Reach the writer at 402-473-7223 or awegley@journalstar.
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